Bottle sorting apparatus having selective discharge channels



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BOTTLE SORTING APPARATUS HAVING SELECTIVE DISCHARGE CHANNELS Jan. 1l,1966 Filed Nov. 4, 1963 1 `san. 11, 1966 P. J. SCHNEIDER BOTTLE SORTINGAPPARATUS HAVING SELECTIVE DISCHARGE CHANNELS Filed Nov. 4, 1965 NN H..NQTSSS H SA ww: Y

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United States Patent O M 3,228,520 BOTTLE SORTING APPARATUS HAVINGSELEC- TIVE DISCHARGE CHANNELS Paul J'. Schneider, 18 9th Ave., HaddonHeights, NJ. Filed Nov. 4, 1963, Ser. No. 321,182 7 Claims. (Cl.209-111.6)

This invention relates to apparatus for automatically identifying andsorting into two different channels two different types of bottles whichdiffer from each other in their light transmissive (or light reliective)properties.

The apparatus of the present invention includes manually operable switchmeans whereby either one of the two types of bottles may be channeledinto either one of the two delivery channels.

The present invention and its advantages will be clear from thefollowing description taken together with the drawing in which:

FIG. l is a block diagram of a control system according to the presentinvention;

FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic illustration of a known form of vacuum cupstarwheel separator adapted to be controlled by the control system ofFIG. l; and

FIG. 3 is a graphical representation of two of the waveforms used in thecontrol system.

Referring first to FIG. 2, two types of bottles are illustrated,identified as type A and type B. Mixed bottles of these types are fed onthe lead-in conveyor into the starwheel of a Barry-Webmiller vacuumturntable or ejection machine. This is a known form of a machinecommercially available, manufactured by the Barry-Wehmiller MachineryCompany.

Bottle type A may, for example, be a white glass bottle and bottle typeB may be a green glass bottle. As mentioned above, a mixture of bottlesof these two types is fed by the lead-in conveyor 10 one by one into thepockets 22 of the starwheel 20. The starwheel 20 is mounted for freerotation; it is not power driven. Rotational movement of the starwheel(clockwise as illustrated in FIG. 2) results from the force of a bottlebeing carried into a pocket 22 by the lead-in conveyor 10. When theconveyor 10 pushes a bottle into one of the pockets 22, the starwheel iscaused to rotate sufficiently to bring the next pocket into position toreceive the next bottle.

The bottles which enter the starwheel are carried through anidentification or recognition station 25. As best seen in FIG. l, theidentification station 25 comprises a pair of light sources 26 and 27each adapted to project a beam of light, an upper beam 36 and a lowerbeam 37, respectively, transversely across the arcuate path along whichthe bottles are being conveyed by the starwheel 20. Light source 26 isso disposed that its beam 36 is intercepted by the neck of the bottles,while light source 27 is so positioned lower down so that its beam 37 isintercepted by the main body portion of the bottles.

Light beam 36 is directed toward and received by a photosensitive device46 which may preferably be a phototransistor, while light beam 37 isdirected toward and received by a photosensitive device 47 which maypreferably be a commercially available device known as a Clairex eye,manufactured by the Clairex Company.

The photosensitive devices 46 and 47 developed electrical output signalsin response to variations in light received, and these developedelectrical signals are used -in the control system of FIG. 1 to controlselectively the application of vacuum pressure to the suction cups 23 ofthe starwheel 20. One suction cup 23 is located at each of the pockets22 of the star wheel. Each suction cup is individually controlled. Assuction is applied, the cup operates to retain the bottle in the pocket.If no 3,228,520- Patented Jan. 11, 1966 ICC suction is applied, thebottle is not retained. In FIG. 2, the bottles which are not retainedare carried away by the first delivery conveyor 11. The bottles whichare retained are carried past the first conveyor 11 and are not releaseduntil the second conveyor 12 is reached.

The control system of FIG. 1 includes a manual switch 30, -illustratedas having two mechanically-linked arms 30-1 and 30-2. The position ofthis switch controls which of the two types of bottles will be carriedaway by the first delivery conveyor 11 and which type will be retainedby the starwheel for delivery to the second conveyor l2. In one positionof switch 30, the type A bottles are released by the starwheel andcarried away by the first conveyor 11, while type B bottles are retainedby the starwheel and not released until the second conveyo-r 12 1sreached. In the other position of the switch 30, the reverse occurs,that is, type B bottles are released by the starwheel at conveyor 11while the type A bottles are retained by the starwheel until the secondconveyor 12 is reached.

The switch 30 thus gives to the control system a selectivity which hasan important practical aspect in that it permits the automaticrecognition `and bottle sorting apparatus of FIGS. l and 2 to beincorporated into line equipment. The line equipment may include, forexample, in the order named, such components as a bottle washer, bottlelling equipment, bottle capping equipment, and bottle casing equipment.In such line equipment, only one type of bottle should pass through thebottle washer to the bottle filling equipment.

It will be seen that if the empty bottles being fed along the line-inconveyor 10 to the turntable 20 are split on an approximate 50-50 basisbetween type A and type B, it will merely be necessary to run thelead-in conveyor at twice the speed of the remainder of the lineequipment in order to achieve full-capacity operation. There will betimes, however, when the mixture of empty bottles to be sorted willcontain a large proportion of bottles which are of Vone type, say typeB, land only a small percentage of the other type, type A. In such case,the operator would merely push the manual control switch 30 to place itin the opposite state from that illustrated in FIG. l. In such state ofthe switch 30, type B bottles will be delivered to the first deliveryconveyor 11 and type A bottles will be delivered to the second conveyor12. By adjusting the speed of the input conveyor 1t), the operator coulddeliver type B bottles to the bottle washer at its rated capacity, andthe type A bottles would be collected via conveyor 12 as pre-sortedbottles for subsequent passage through the line equipment.

The bottle recognition and control system of FIG. l will now bedescribed in detail. When the neck of a bottle carri-ed by the starwheel20 intercepts the upper light beam 36, the phototransisto-r 46 developsan electrical signal which triggers the position sensor 49. Positionsensor 49 may preferably comprise a difference amplifier followed by aSchmitt trigger. When the Schmitt trigger is triggered, a voltage orcurrent level change occurs at its output and an output gate pulse isdeveloped having a waveform similar to that illustrated in FIG. 3 andidentified as waveform I. This gate pulse I is applied to the shuntswitch 56, which may preferably be-a single transistor circuit, and theshunt switch changes from a condition in which it presents a lowimpedance to ground to a condition in which it offers a very highimpedance to ground. This enables the -comparator 57. Gate pulse I isalso applied through the D.C. level shift amplifier 66 and the diode 67to the control fiip-op 68 to unclamp the control flip-flop inanticipation of a possible set pulse.

During the same time that the neck of a bottle is intercepting the upperbeam 36, the lower beam 37 is being intercepted by the center portion ofthe body of the bottle. This interception causes a reduction in theamount of light received by the Clairex eye 47, the reduction beinggreater for a green bottle (type B) than for a white bo-ttle (type A).As a result of this change in the amount of light received, the Clairexeye amplifier 48 produces an electrical output signal 1I having awaveform such as is illustrated in FIG. 3. This signal is applied as aninput signal to the voltage comparator 57.

The Clairex eye amplifier 48 is a direct coupled transistor amplier, andoperates class A. The Clairex cell or eye is located between the baseand emitter and controls the input transistor bias as a function oflight spectrum and intensity. A signal transistor has been found to beadequate. Additional transistors could be used for eXtra gain, or fortemperature stabilizing purposes, -if required. Y

A reference voltage is also applied to the voltage comparator 57 from aregulated voltage source 58. Voltage comparator 57 may, for example,comprise a first pair of transistors forming a flip-flop whose conditionis determined by a second pair of transistors to one of which thereference voltage is applied and to the other of which the input signalsare applied.

Input signals tothe comparator 57 include, in addition to the signals,waveform II, from the Clairex eye amplitier 48, pulses from the pulsegenerator 59. These pulses are combined with the waveform II at theinput to the comparator to form a train of input signal pulses.

The pulse generator 59 may preferably be a freerunning unijunctiontransistor oscillator followed by a Schmitt trigger to square thepulses. The repetition rate of the pulses from the generator 59 is notcritical. The only requirement is that the repetition rate be fastrelative t-o the speed at which a bottle moves through the light beams36 and 37. Preferably, the pulse rate from generator 59 should be highenough so that a train of about ten signal pulses are received by thevoltage comparator for each bottle. A pulse rate of three or fourkilocycles will usually be adequate.

If the amplitude of the train o-f input signal pulses received by thevoltage comparator 57 is greater than the reference voltage 58 an outputwill be developed on the output lead 57-1, whereas if the amplitude ofthe input pulse signals is less than the reference voltage 58 an outputwill be developed on the output lead 57-2. According to the position ofthe switch arms 30-1 and 30-2,

rand providing the shunt switch 56 is in its high impedance state, oneor the other of the comparator outputs 57-1 or 57-2 is applied to thecontrol flip-Hop 68 to set the ilip-op.

In the system of FIG. l, signals which are developed by the Clairex eye47 and amplier 48 when the edge of the bottle enters or leaves the lightbeam 37 are applied as input signals to the voltage comparator 57, butany output produced by the voltage comparator is shorted to ground bythe shunt switch 56 which is in its low impedanoe state, Thus, thesesignals do not reach the control ip-flop 68. It is only when the neckportion of the bottle intercepts the beam 36 that the shunt switch 56 isin its high impedance state, and only during this period do set signalsreach the flip-flop 68. At this time, the center portion of lthe body ofthe bottle is intercepting the flower light beam 37, and, accordingly,any output signals from the volta-ge comparator 57 which reach thecontrol flip-flop 68 are limited to those which are developed by thecenter body portion of the bottle. This technique avoids the applicationto the control Hip-flop 68 of erroneous signals which may be developedby the edge portions of the bottle.

If the switch arms 30-1 and 30-2 of the switch 30 are in the particularpositions illustrated in FIG. l, only the output signals developed onlead 57-2 are applied to the control flip-flop 68. These signals areless than the reference and are developed only when a green glassbott-le, a type B bottle in the present discussion, is intercepting thelight beam 37. Thus, if the bottle passing through the recognitionstation is a green glass type B bottle, the control lflip-flop 68 isset, and an output level change occurs which is applied to the relay 70through the transistor-amplifier relay-driver circuit 69. Relay 70(which may be either an electro-mechanical relay or a completelyelectronic switch) then operates and solenoid 71 is energized andactuated. This solenoid is located in a fixed position near thestarwheel 20. 'Iliat is, the solenoid 71 does not rotate with thestarwheel. When the next valve 24 passes, the actuated solenoid 71 camsthe valve open and suction is applied to the associated suction cup 23.The bottle in the particular pocket is then retained by the starwheeluntil the vacuum is released, as by a fixed-position valve-closing cam28 located near the second conveyor 12. Thus, type B bottles, in thepresent discussion, are retained by the suction cup 23 and carried pastthe'rst conveyor 11; the suction is later released by cam 28 and thebottles type B are delivered onto the second conveyor 12.

Referring again to FIG. l, clear -or white glass bottles type A developa signal which is larger than the reference voltage 58 and an outputsignal appears on output lead 57-1 of the voltage comparator 57.However, with switch 30 in the condition illustrated in FIG. 1, thesignals on lead 57-1 are not applied to the control Hip-flop 68 due tothe open contacts at switch arm 30-1. Thus, when a type A bottle passesthrough the inspection station, the control flip-flop 68 is not set, thesolenoid 71 is not actuated, and no vacuum is applied to the suction cup23 of that particular pocket 22. Thus, the type A bottle is not retainedby the starwheel, and this type of bottle is carried away on the rstdelivery conveyor 11.

It will be seen that by reversing the condition of the switch 30, thetype A bottles will be retained by the starwheel and carried along tothe second conveyor 12 while the type B bottles will be released on tothe tirst conveyor 11. Thus, the position of the control switch 30determines which type of bottle is carried away by each of the twodelivery conveyors 11 and 12.

While the preferred embodiment of this invention has been Idescribed insome detail, it will be obvious to one skilled in the art that variousmodifications may be made without departing from the invention ashereinafter claimed.

AHaving described my invention, I claim:

1. Apparatus for recognizing and distinguishing between two types ofbottles having different light transmissive properties, said apparatuscomprising: irst means for generating a first light beam; firstphotosensitive means positioned to receive said rst light beam forgenerating electrical lsignals in response to variations in said beam;an electronic comparator having a reference bias applied thereto andadapted to be placed in one state or the other, said comparator havingrst and second output circuits for developing an output signal on saidiirst loutput circuit when said comparator is in said one state anddeveloping 'an output signal on said second output circuit when saidcomparator is in its other state; a control flip-flop; means connectingboth said rst output circuit and said second output circuit of saidcomparator to the input of said control -ip-flop; a manual controlswitch having interrelated switch means in said rst and second outputcir- .cuits of said comparator, said switch having two positions in oneof which said second output circuit is open and said first outputcircuit is closed, and in the other of which said second output circuitis closed and said first output circuit is open; means for coupling theoutput of said first photosensitive means to the input of saidcomparator to place said comparator in said one state or the other; andconveyor means for transporting bottles to be recognized through saidirst light beam for developing recognition signals at the output of saidcontrol ilip-op according to the condition of said control switch inresponse to the passage through said beam of one or the other of saidtwo types of bottles.

2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 characterized in that said conveyormeans includes a vacuum cup starwheel having valve means for controllingthe suction condition of the vacuum cup, and having a solenoid devicefor controlling the condition of the valve means.

3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 2 further characterized in that meansare provided for coupling the output of said control flip-flop to saidsolenoid to control the condition thereof.

4. Apparatus as claimed in claim 3 further characterized in that secondmeans are provided for generating a second light beam disposed abovesaid first light beam, and in that second photosensitive means areprovided for receiving said second light beam and for generating anelectrical signal in response to chan-ge in said second beam, saidsecond beam being disposed above said first light beam so as to beintercepted by the neck of a bottle conveyed therethrough, and meanscoupled between the output of said second -photosensitive means and theoutput of said comparator for disabling said comparator except when saidsecond beam is being intercepted by a bottle.

5. Apparatus as claimed in claim 4 further characterized by means forcoupling the output of said second 6 photosensitive means to saidcontrol flip-flop for resetting said flip-flop after the bottle neck haspassed through said second beam.

6. Apparatus as claimed in claim 5 further characterized in that a pulsegenerator is provided for applying pulses to the input of saidcomparator at a rate sufficiently high that a plurality of pulses areapplied to said comparator during the period that rst-beam-interceptingsignals are being applied thereto from said first photosensitive means.

7. Apparatus as claimed in claim 6 further characterized in that saidcomparator disabling means comprises a shunt switch having low impedanceand high impedance states.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,609,926 9/1952Hartig et al 209-1116 X 2,627,975 2/1953 Ekstrom 209--1 11.6 2,800,2267/1957 Drennan 209-111.7 3,191,773 6/1965 Wyman 209-111.7

M. HENSON WOOD, IR., Primary Examiner.

A. N. KNOWLES, Assistant Examiner.

1. APPARATUS FOR RECOGNIZING AND DISTINGUISHING BETWEEN TWO TYPES OFBOTTLES HAVING DIFFERENT LIGHT TRANSMISSIVE PROPERTIES, SAID APPARATUSCOMPRISING: FIRST MEANS FOR GENERATING A FIRST LIGHT BEAM; FIRSTPHOTOSENSITIVE MEANS POSITIONED TO RECEIVE SAID FIRST LIGHT BEAM FORGENERATING ELECTRICAL SIGNALS IN RESPONSE TO VARIATIONS IN SAID BEAM; ANELECTRONIC COMPARATOR HAVING A REFERENCE BIAS APPLIED THERETO ANDADAPTED TO BE PLACED IN ONE STATE OR THE OTHER, SAID COMPARATOR HAVINGFIRST AND SECOND OUTPUT CIRCUITS FOR DEVELOPING AN OUTPUT SIGNAL ON SAIDFIRST OUTPUT CIRCUIT WHEN SAID COMPARATOR IS IN SAID ONE STATE ANDDEVELOPING AN OUTPUT SIGNAL ON SAID SECOND OUTPUT CIRCUIT WHEN SAIDCOMPARATOR IS IN ITS OTHER STATE; A CONTROL FLIP-FLOP; MEANS CONNECTINGBOTH SAID FIRST OUTPUT CIRCUIT AND SAID SECOND OUTPUT CIRCUIT OF SAIDCOMPARATOR TO THE INPUT OF SAID CONTROL FLIP-FLOP; A MANUAL CONTROLSWITCH HAVING INTERRELATED SWITCH MEANS IN SAID FIRST AND SECOND OUTPUTCIRCUITS OF SAID COMPARATOR, SAID SWITCH HAVING TWO POSITIONS IN ONE OFWHICH SAID SECOND OUTPUT CIRCUIT IS OPEN AND SAID FIRST OUTPUT CIRCUITIS CLOSED, AND IN THE OTHER OF WHICH SAID SECOND OUTPUT CIRCUIT ISCLOSED AND SAID FIRST OUTPUT CIRCUIT IS OPEN; MEANS FOR COUPLING THEOUTPUT OF SAID FIRST PHOTOSENSITIVE MEANS TO THE INPUT OF SAIDCOMPARATOR TO PLACE SAID COMPARATOR IN SAID ONE STATE OR THE OTHER; ANDCONVEYOR MEANS FOR TRANSPORTING BOTTLES TO BE RECOGNIZED THROUGH SAIDFIRST LIGHT BEAM FOR DEVELOPING RECOGNITION SIGNALS AT THE OUTPUT OFSAID CONTROL FLIP-FLOP ACCORDING TO THE CONDITION OF SAID CONTROL SWITCHIN RESPONSE TO THE PASSAGE THROUGH SAID BEAM OF ONE OR THE OTHER OF SAIDTWO TYPES OF BOTTLES.